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So you want to be a Cheerleader...

To many, cheerleaders are remembered as the model type girls that represented VFL football teams in the 80’s or as recent as the interpretation from the hit movie “Bring it On”. But, cheerleading is much more than first impressions. It is all business and a serious sport. Serious in the way that football, soccer and basketball are serious. If you've ever surfed across the ESPN coverage of national cheerleading competitions, you know this is true. At the sport's highest level, cheerleading can involve huge guys hurling "flyers" around and it's very impressive stuff. For those of you looking to break into this world where gymnastics meets dance, you've come to the right place.

One note before we continue: there are many ways for you to show cheerleading spirit. At KLD we are focused on the technique and competitive side of the sport as opposed to the “showgirl” representation. We can perform at corporate functions but our main aim is to provide a solid technical base for cheerleading and participate in an internationally recognised sport that is fairly “new” in Australia.

At KLD we have different levels of cheerleading considering age and level of ability. Anyone can join a recreational Cheerleading class and learn how to cheer correctly without straining their voices, execute drills with precision and tumble like a gymnast. But for those that really want to take cheerleading to the next level and participate in team representation at State and National levels your first order of business must be to get in good shape. While it may not be obvious that cheerleading involves an awful lot of work, over the course of a competitive routine, cheerleaders require enormous cardiovascular stamina and a good deal of strength. Before you try out, follow our pointers to develop the most important physical aspects of the activity.

• Stamina
• Strength
• Flexibility

Stamina

Perhaps the key physical requirement for cheerleading is stamina. When performing a competitive routine, you will expend an enormous amount of energy; but well before any competition, cheerleaders will practice their routines countless times, over and over. To practice at this kind of level - which is crucial to developing the necessary precision -- you will have to be in great aerobic shape.

Ultimately, your stamina will allow you to coast through the rigors of tumbling runs, elaborate lifts, and frenetic dance routines.

Strength

An often overlooked asset to any cheerleader is strength. Whether you are a base, whose job is to lift other cheerleaders and to support pyramids, or a flyer, who climbs atop these constructions, you'll need to be able to lift yourself and others into the air. Top-flight cheerleaders are built much like Olympic gymnasts, with powerful lower bodies for tumbling and jumping.

Flexibility

Cheerleaders are famously flexible, often kicking their legs impossibly high during their routines and frequently performing the splits on the ground and in the air. Flexibility is not something you can schedule in for a couple of intensive sessions - you must give a little bit of time to it every day. Don't panic, this won't become all-consuming, but it is a very good idea to stretch a little each day, perhaps after you wake up or right before you go to bed. Your ligaments need constant reminders to stay elasticated and limber.

The best way to stretch is through constant pressure, never bouncing. Try to hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds, and work up to about a minute. Push yourself to attempt difficult stretches, but don't get to the point of pain. Avoid spending all your time on the stretches you can already do well - we're all tempted to stick to the comfortable, but you want to ensure that you're comprehensively flexible. Draw up a list of stretches to do, starting with your feet and working all the way up to your neck. Be sure to spend some time on all the major muscle groups, such as your calves, quads, hamstring, groin, triceps, and traps. We have a couple tips here to help you find one.

A great tip for making stretching easier is to focus on your breathing - many of us are tempted to hold our breath while doing something physically demanding, but all exercise is improved by circulating oxygen and relaxing, both of which are aided by careful breathing.

A good cheerleader must have a wide repertoire of skills, which should include precision movements, gymnastics and tumbling, lifting and pyramids, and dancing ability. These techniques all involve coordination and timing, but each has its own distinctive flavor too. Most competitive teams have cheerleaders who specialize in one or another of these skills, so if you have one that is your favorite, you may be able to become a specialist in it. First, though, you should be sure you know and try each of them, if only to get a sense of what your options are.

 

Precision movements

Nowadays, many cheerleaders are excellent dancers, but the classic cheerleader spends a good deal of time performing precision movements. These involve strict timing and sharp, defined motions. There are only a few basic arm movements: high touchdown, low touchdown, high v, low v, T, half T, candlesticks, hands on hips, punch, and diagonal. But by adding small variations to the position of your hands, and varying what you do with each arm, you can build a huge array of motions. You'll want to practice these motions in a mirror to work on your precision. Also be aware of your presentation, which should always involve your smiling, keeping your head up, keeping the motions sharp and snappy, and refraining from staring at one point.

Gymnastics

Gymnastics and tumbling are skills that are sports in their own right, and we can't hope to tell you how to do them here. Because they add so much to any cheerleader's skills, though, we recommend that you pursue these skills with our acrobatics classes. The most spectacular movements are often tumbling runs involving back-to-back handsprings. You can, however, work a variety of jumps into your routine without specialized training. There are ten classic jumps: tuck, c, spread, herkie, stag, toe touch, split, hurdler, pike, and doubles. Again, you can add to these any variety of hand motions to make your routines unique.

Lifting

Working with a partner can open up an even broader range of cheerleading movements, and many excellent squads rely on partner and double stunts as a mainstay of their routines. These are best practiced with the assistance of trained coaches and spotters, as the risks of injury are high for novices. The most exciting thing about working on these motions is that they can quickly lead to elaborate pyramids if you combine various partner pairs.

Dance

Dance in many ways is the opposite of precision movement. Rather than punctuating each motion as a separate move, dance focuses on smooth and flowing routines. Many cheerleading squads combine dance with precision movements, by using dance moves for the legs, for instance, while using the arms for precision movements. At KLD our cheerleaders have a strong dance back-ground which is an asset when participating in competition routines.

No matter what element of cheerleading you choose to specialize in, you and your team will benefit a great deal if you take the time to experiment with all your possibilities. If you have a background in gymnastics, you should join a dance class at KLD for assistance in your moves. Similarly, if you've never participated in any strength moves, you may discover that you have a great skill with partner movements and building pyramids. So explore all your options, and become the best cheerleader you can be.